The present invention is in general directed to a novel and improved construction of tape recorder for magnetic sound tape in cassette, and more particularly to an improved retention device for the tape cassette.
Numerous drive means for tape recorders are already known. More recently, co-planar compact cassettes have been proposed for tape recorders in which the two spools, namely the supply spool and the take-up spool, are combined in a container housing, and such housing, together with the magnetic tape included therein, is placed on the recorder unit. The magnetic tape is well protected in these cassettes and is easy to handle. For these reasons, recorders utilizing cassettes have been very rapidly generally accepted.
Each cassette has openings only in one side of the housing for introducing the magnetic transducer heads and the pinch roller. In addition, the base of the cassette is provided with additional openings for introducing drive shafts or a capstan.
In tape recorders utilizing such cassettes, after the tape cassette is loaded in the recorder unit, the recorder is brought by suitable means into selected operative and inoperative conditions, namely recording, playback, fast-wind, fast-rewind and stop. In the operative conditions, the cassette must be firmly retained in the operative state in which the tape in the cassette is engaged with the tape drive means and the transducer head. Generally, the mechanisms which accomplish this have been relatively complex, and therefore expensive. Also, it is necessary to employ a mechanism which is not affected by mechanical shock.